Seating arrangement

Abstract

A seating arrangement includes a seat assembly slidably movable between a forward most position and a rearward most position and that includes a seat support structure configured to support a seated user thereon, and at least one elongated slide bearing attached to the seat support structure and including a bearing surface and at least one stop member, wherein the bearing surface and the at least one stop member are a single, integral piece. The seating arrangement further includes at least one slide support member that slidably supports the slide bearing thereon between the forward most position and the rearward most position, wherein the at least one stop member is configured to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seating arrangement, comprising:
 a seat assembly slidably movable between a forward most position and a rearward most position, the seat assembly comprising:
 a seat support structure configured to support a seated user thereon; and 
 at least one elongated slide bearing attached to the seat support structure and including a bearing surface and at least one stop member, wherein the bearing surface and the at least one stop member are a single, integral piece; and 
   at least one slide support member that contacts the bearing surface and slidably supports the at least one elongated slide bearing thereon between the forward most position and the rearward most position, wherein the at least one stop member is configured to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position;   wherein the at least one elongated slide bearing includes a first elongated slide bearing and a second elongated slide bearing spaced from one another; and   wherein the at least one stop member abuts the at least one slide support member to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond the at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position.   
     
     
         2 . The seating arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stop member prevents the seat assembly from being moved beyond the forward most position. 
     
     
         3 . The seating arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one stop member is configured to directly abut the at least one slide support member to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond the forward most position. 
     
     
         4 . The seating arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stop member is flexibly movable from a first position, wherein the at least one stop member prevents the seat assembly from being moved beyond the forward most position and the seat assembly from being removed from the at least one slide support member, and a second position, wherein the at least one stop member is moved so as to allow the seat assembly to be moved beyond the forward most position and the seat assembly to be removed from the at least one slide support member. 
     
     
         5 . The seating arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one elongated slide bearing includes a release portion operably coupled to the at least one stop member and configured to move the at least one stop member from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The seating arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the bearing surface, the at least one stop member, and the release portion are a single, integral piece. 
     
     
         7 . The seating arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The seating arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stop member is configured to directly abut the at least one slide support member to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond the rearward most position. 
     
     
         9 . A seating arrangement, comprising:
 a seat assembly slidably movable between a forward most position and a rearward most position, the seat assembly comprising:   a seat support structure configured to support a seated user thereon, wherein the seat support structure is flexibly resilient;   at least one elongated slide bearing attached to the seat support structure thereby structurally reinforcing the seat support structure from flexure, wherein the at least one elongated slide bearing includes a bearing surface and at least one stop member; and   at least one slide support member that slidably supports the at least one elongated slide bearing thereon between the forward most position and the rearward most position, wherein the at least one stop member is configured to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position;   wherein the at least one elongated slide bearing includes a first elongated slide bearing and a second elongated slide bearing spaced from one another;   wherein the at least one stop member abuts the at least one slide support member to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond the at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position.   
     
     
         10 . The seating arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the bearing surface and the at least one stop member are a single, integral piece. 
     
     
         11 . The seating arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one stop member prevents the seat assembly from being moved beyond the forward most position. 
     
     
         12 . The seating arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one stop member is flexibly movable from a first position, wherein the at least one stop member prevents the seat assembly from being moved beyond the forward most position and the seat assembly from being removed from the at least one slide support member, and a second position, wherein the at least one stop member is moved so as to allow the seat assembly to be moved beyond the forward most position and the seat assembly to be removed from the at least one slide support member. 
     
     
         13 . The seating arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one elongated slide bearing includes a release portion operably coupled to the at least one stop member and configured to move the at least one stop member from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The seating arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the bearing surface, the at least one stop member and the release portion are a single, integral piece. 
     
     
         15 . The seating arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The seating arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one elongated slide bearing abuts the seat support structure. 
     
     
         17 . A seating arrangement, comprising:
 a seat assembly slidably movable between a forward most position and a rearward most position, the seat assembly comprising:
 a seat support structure configured to support a seated user thereon; 
 at least one elongated slide bearing attached to the seat support structure, wherein the at least one elongated slide bearing includes a bearing surface and at least one stop member, and wherein the at least one stop member is configured to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position; and 
 a release portion operably coupled to the at least one stop member and configured to flexibly move the at least one stop member from the first position to the second position, wherein the release portion is accessible from an exterior of the seating arrangement without use of a tool; and 
   at least one slide support member that slidably supports the at least one elongated slide bearing thereon between the forward most position and the rearward most position;   wherein the at least one stop member and the release portion are a single, integral piece.   
     
     
         18 . The seating arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one stop member, the release portion, and the bearing surface are a single, integral piece. 
     
     
         19 . The seating arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one stop member abuts the at least one slide support member to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond the at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position. 
     
     
         20 . The seating arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly.